


Close

by truthbetold09



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-06-08 02:30:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6835357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/truthbetold09/pseuds/truthbetold09
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A lifetime of war changes a person and Katara is no different. Commanding the forces of the Southern Water Tribe Navy, she's about to face the fight of her life against the Crown Prince of the oppressive Fire Nation. Following a plan conceived by her brother, General Sokka, Katara will attempt to capture the Prince to save her people. But when they both end up lost at sea, they must find a way to survive together or perish.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Close

Home. The word meant different things to different people. To some it meant the place they lived, to others it was family or country. To Katara, home was the ice on which she stood and the sea that surrounded it. She would lay down her life a million times over to protect it and her people. Her father had taught her the burden of leadership and it was one that she wore well. Her brother may be the next in line for the title of Chieftain but Katara was the only waterbender left to the Southern Water Tribe.   
She knew the waters better than any man in their navy because they were as much a part of her as her own blood and that expertise had landed her a command of those forces. So when her lieutenant came running across the frozen tundra to the ice cliff where she stood, overlooking her beloved ocean, she knew it would not be good news. He slid to a stop, spraying cold snow across her knees and shins.

“Commander.” He huffed out the word with the last of his breath and then bent double to try to catch the rest of it. She waited quietly for the young man to gather himself; he had only been under her command for a few months now but he was skilled in both battle and sailing a ship. He would do well.

“I bring word…from General Sokka. He requests that you meet him in the war hut…there’s news from your father.” Kato managed between breaths as he finally stood upright.

“Thank you.” She told him before taking one last look at the calm open sea that stretched out in front of her, the dying sunlight sending flares of orange and red over the surface of it, as if the waters had caught fire.

By the time she had made it back to the war hut, Sokka was pacing with agitation. There were papers and maps laid out on the great table between them and she could smell the thick scent of stew that hadn’t been touched yet. Katara cleared her throat, catching his attention.

“The news isn’t good,” he said without stopping his pacing. “Dad’s on his way North to enter into alliance with the Northern Water Tribe, at least officially. While on the way, he came across a small Fire Nation ship. He and his men overtook it and discovered something inside.”

“And?”

“Fire Lord Ozai is angry that we killed General Zhiao in our last skirmish. He’s sending a fleet of Fire Navy ships to destroy us and our home." The news was alarming but Katara kept her composure; the fear could overwhelm her later, right now she needed more details.

“Who commands the fleet?” She asked. At this Sokka stopped his pacing and without meeting her eyes, answered.

“Prince Zuko.” 

Katara had faced Prince Zuko once before as a teenager, on her way back from training with Master Paku at the Northern Water Tribe. She had barely come out of the encounter with her life. The fight to come would be one that would be remembered for generations and she was only a little surprised to find that she relished the idea of it.

“What do you need of me?” She asked him. Sokka turned a sharp eye on her then.

“For you to stay out of it.” Katara stiffened. “I mean it, Katara. You’re the last waterbender in the South and my sister. You almost died the last time you fought Zuko and I won’t allow you the opportunity to do it again.”

Harsh laughter escaped her in barks.

“You think you allow me to do anything? Tell me, Sokka, who will you get to command your ships to victory, if not me? Who among your men knows these waters better than I do? Who will command the same level of respect in the heat of battle?” When he did not answer, she continued.

“No one. It won’t be a battle; it will be a massacre without me there and you know it.”

The resigned slump in his shoulders was confirmation enough that he knew she was right. She fought back the urge to smirk at him, now was not the time for childish gloating. A fight lay ahead that would change the course of history and there was much to do in preparation.

“Kato.” Katara’s lieutenant entered the war hut, ready for whatever command she would give him.

“Assemble the captains of all our ships and bring them here.” A nod of understanding and he was gone.

Sokka stood opposite the great table from her, frowning in disapproval. Katara took a moment then to study him. Though Sokka was barely 28 years old, the strain of leadership during war time had aged his spirit considerably. It was a sad thing to know that the playful child she remembered was long gone, replaced by a tall man with more worry on his face than anyone should be made to bear. Her previous harsh words brought shame that twisted at her heart until she couldn’t bare the silence anymore  
.  
“Sokka, I’m sorry for what I said; it was unkind, but I know you know that I’m needed out there. It’s where I belong.”

He rounded the table then, to face her with no distance between them.

“I know. I underestimate you and I know I shouldn’t. You’re the best warrior we have and the only master bender. But you’re also my sister and the thought of something happening to you is hard to bear.”

It shocked her then, how much Sokka resembled their father. Katara reached out a hand to touch the side of his face. She was met with smooth skin on his cheek and rough, prickly stubble where he had neglected to shave. This war had taken too much from them.

The growing sounds of voices broke their reverie. Sokka slipped back to the other side of the great table and Katara schooled her features into the steadfast determination that she was famous for among the men. They would be looking to her for direction and she would show them that their faith in her ability was well placed. Eleven men of varying ages filed into the war hut, making what was once a considerable amount of space seem small and confining.   
The captains of the other ships in the Southern Water Tribe Navy stood quietly, waiting for Sokka to address them. Some of the captains were older than Katara’s father with many years at sea under their belts. It showed in the weathering of their skin and the alertness of their eyes. Eyes that needed to be sharp and watchful for even the slightest shift in weather. Others were younger, but none so young as Katara herself. Some of them shifted their attention her way, unsure which of the siblings would be briefing them. Sokka straightened and their focus shifted back to him.

“I have received reports from Chief Hakoda’s ship in the north that an attack on the Southern Water Tribe is imminent. The Fire Lord is sending the Crown Prince with the Fire Nation fleet to our shores to destroy our home in retaliation for General Zhiao’s defeat. According to the intelligence collected, the fleet will greatly outnumber our own and with Prince Zuko commanding it, the outlook is bleak.”

The captains shared grim glances.

“But the Fire Nation forgets that we are a strong people and for every one of our warriors that perishes, ten Fire Nation soldiers go with him! They come to us in our element and think they can crush us, that we are helpless and will run screaming from their metal ships and fire. Those arrogant bastards couldn’t be more wrong. We will meet them and match their fire with our water!” 

At those words Sokka gestured to Katara, pride radiating in his face. The men were eating up every one of his words, using them to fuel their spirits and steel themselves for the coming fight. It was an infectious energy; restlessness bouncing around the cramped war hut like a rubber ball.

“Captains, gather your warriors and ready your ships. They want to exterminate us? We will make them earn it!” 

Sokka’s final declaration was met with hollers of approval from the captains before they filed out to see to the task of preparing for battle. Katara was at the door of the hut, heading to her own ship to begin preparations when Sokka called out to her.

“Katara.”

She turned, not advancing but not exiting the hut either. If he was about to start arguing against her being in the battle again…

“There’s no way we can defeat the forces that are heading for us.”

His words silenced the excited energy inside of Katara as if he had thrown a bucket of ice water over her.

“There’s only one way our people may be able to survive this. A leverage to use against the Fire Nation to keep them from obliterating us. You have to capture Prince Zuko.”

He waited, watching her closely to gauge her response. A million and ten thoughts rioted around in her head, each clamoring for attention but she said, “I assume you have a plan.”

Twenty minutes later Katara was standing in the captain’s cabin of her ship, reading through the reports of the captains. Lists upon lists of supplies, weapons, statuses of ships and the names of all the warriors who had reported for duty. She stared at their names, knowing that some of them would never return home. Exactly how many of them would survive, however, depended entirely upon her. Capturing the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation off his own warship in the heat of battle. Katara had to smile at that; only Sokka would come up with a plan so bold. In a little less than two days, the Fire Nation fleet would be at their shores and that was all the time she had to prepare for her mission. She would need every considerable skill in her arsenal to pull this off. Although…Katara had learned one new trick since her last encounter with Prince Zuko. A trick that only Sokka new about and may be the deciding factor in this fight.

**Author's Note:**

> It took me way too long to write this. Any input is much appreciated and thank you for taking the time to read my fic!


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